Stats don't reflect Flyers' Coburn's stout play

CHICAGO -- It's almost like the numbers were lying. You know, those plus-minus numbers that so very often mean so very little?

Through the first four games of the Stanley Cup Finals, Flyers defenseman Braydon Coburn was a minus-8, worst among all players in the series.

While a number like that wouldn't seem to be so shocking based on Coburn's play during much of the regular season, it was a surprise to anybody that has watched Coburn seemingly play so well through the playoffs.

"I had (hip) surgery in the summertime and I thought I got off to a little bit of a slow start," Coburn said Sunday, before the Flyers' 7-4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 5 at United Center. "But as the year went on I felt better and I think I played better."

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It certainly looked that way.

So call it an anomoly (plus-minus numbers often are) or merely the byproduct of two high-scoring games. Coburn was a minus-three in both a 6-5 Blackhawks win in Game 1 and a 4-3 Flyers win in Game 3.

Other than that, Coburn has played much like he did in Game 5 Sunday night. The Blackhawks blew the Flyers off the ice early and then cruised home, putting the Flyers on the verge of elimination with Game 6 set for Wednesday at Wachovia Center.

But Coburn and longtime defensive cohort Kimmo Timonen helped keep the game competitive. That was especially seen in the second period, when Coburn broke up a pair of Blackhawks 2-on-1 breaks.

After the Hawks had gotten off to that 3-0 lead, the Flyers pulled Michael Leighton in favor of Brian Boucher and commenced a comeback attempt. They were down two goals late in the second when a misfortunate bounce created a clean 2-on-1 for the Hawks, with Coburn backpedaling in the middle.

He played it perfectly, cutting off the passing lane and forcing Jonathan Toews to take a shot that Boucher swallowed up.

Shortly thereafter, another Chicago 2-on-1 went for naught when Coburn sprawled to the ice to again cut off a pass, leaving Kris Versteeg to take a shot ... that Coburn's big body pushed aside in mid-slide.

"The playoffs is kind of a new season," said Coburn, who would wind up a plus-1 in the fifth series game. "You have a unique opportunity in the playoffs and you have to try to take advantage of that opportunity. I feel like I've played better. For me, coming into the playoffs, it was a chance to step up my game."

While Coburn and Timonen have stepped up and even held up their end Sunday night, Chris Pronger had one of his worst games of the postseason. As expected, as Pronger goes, so go the Flyers.

Then again, Pronger (minus-5 Sunday night) has always bounced right back from an off night this season, which is why the Flyers shouldn't be considered out of it even though they're down three games to two.

So one more magical comeback story might be in the offing ... but only if Coburn and his teammates don't get caught up in that weird numbers game.